Ties That Bind
by KaelynAnne
Summary: Sam and Dean head to Tree Hill after receiving a call from John that they need Haley. Haley knows her father is missing, but hasn’t seen her brothers since she left. Now they must work through their issues and unite to save their family.
1. History

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mark Schwahn and Eric Kripke.

Author's Note: I know what you're thinking. Another story and she doesn't update most of the ones she's already posted but this plot refused to leave me alone. Also, I'm not really sure about the title. Review and let me know what you think.

Ties That Bind: Chapter One

Mary and John had three children. When Mary died, Dean was five, Sam was fifteen months, and Haley was six months. John raised all three children but when Haley started high school, he sent her to Tree Hill so that she could have a normal high school education.

The only person she's seen since then is her dad but now that he's disappeared her brother's are coming back into her life. When the Winchester brothers get to Tree Hill, sparks fly and tension runs high as relationships are formed and old arguments are brought to the surface.

In Tree Hill, things are just as crazy as ever. When Brooke and Peyton went to that party at Duke, Brooke never found Peyton and the guy she was with raped her. Eight weeks later, she found out she was pregnant and seven months after that, she gave birth to a little girl and named her Isabella Claire. Ella is now five-months-old.

Haley and Jake are in a serious relationship and Haley has adopted Jenny. After Nikki came back during the auction, Jake filed for full custody of Jenny and got it. Three months after that, Haley adopted Jenny. When Haley came back from her tour, she rented an apartment and the three of them are now living together.

Brooke and Lucas are also in a serious relationship. Brooke and her twin sister, Liana, currently live with Peyton and Ella and she and Lucas spend a lot of time over there, watching Ella.

Nathan still lives in the apartment he rented when he emancipated himself. He is dating Liana and the two of them are trying to decide what their future as a couple is.

Sam and Dean come to Tree Hill after they receive a call from John telling them that they need Haley's help. Haley knows that John is missing but she hasn't seen her brothers since she left for Tree Hill. The only contact she's had with them is e-mails and phone calls.


	2. Crash Into You

Disclaimer: I own Liana and Ella. All other characters are property of Eric Kripke and Mark Schwahn.

Author's Note: I'm glad everyone likes this story. Please keep reviewing so I know what you think.

Ties That Bind: Chapter Two

Sam and Dean stood in the parking lot of Tree Hill High, watching the students. One in particular caught their attention as she walked across campus. Instead of her natural brown hair, she now had blonde hair and she moved with a confidence that neither of her brothers remembered. Suddenly, they both regretted never visiting her before now.

They'd never gone with their father when he'd visited his youngest child and neither of them were sure why. They wouldn't be here now if John hadn't called, telling them that they needed Haley's help. "Come on, Sammy. We'll talk to her later."

"It's Sam." Dean nodded but didn't say anything and after watching Haley for a few more minutes, he got into the car.

Haley smiled as she joined her friends at their usual table in the courtyard. "Sorry I'm late. I was helping someone with their history." Jake smiled and pulled her into his lap.

"It's okay." She laced their hands together and sighed in contentment.

"What did I miss?"

"Nothing much. The guys are going to Charlotte this weekend so we're having a girls only weekend at Peyton's," Brooke said. Peyton looked at her best friend in surprise.

"We are?" Haley laughed and leaned into Jake's chest. That was just like Brooke. In the four years that she'd been here, these people had become her family. Some since the first day she'd arrived in Tree Hill, others more recently.

"Yes, we are," Brooke answered.

"Okay, so what time should we be there?"

"Five," Liana answered. Haley nodded and shivered, getting the feeling that someone was watching her.

"Hales, are you okay?" Lucas asked. Haley nodded and looked up but didn't see anyone.

"Yeah." She snuggled further into Jake's arms and turned her attention back to the conversation.

"So, this is going to be an alcohol free weekend, right? We will have Jenny and Ella with us."

"Totally alcohol free," Brooke assured. Nathan laughed and Brooke threw her pen at him.

"Hey, I don't want to hear anything out of you Mr. I got drunk and stole a school bus." Nathan threw the pen back at her and pretended to be hurt. Haley laughed and shook her head. Sometimes she thought there was more chemistry between Brooke and Nathan than between Liana and Nathan.

Then she would see Brooke and Lucas together or Nathan would do something really sweet for Liana and she could see that Nathan was with the right Davis sister. "Actually, I might be a little late. I promised Karen that I would help her at the café."

"We can all meet there and then go to Peyton's," Brooke said. Haley nodded, still trying to shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

"Hey, Haley," Karen smiled as Haley entered the café that afternoon.

"Hey, Karen. How's it been today?"

"We've had our busy times but for the most part it's been a little slow. Which is nice. I love that I have more business but it's still nice to have a slow day every once and a while." Haley nodded, knowing how Karen felt.

She loved going to school, then working at the café, going home, doing homework and making supper, playing with Jenny, giving her a bath, and then putting her to bed. It was, however, also nice to have a day off with no homework where she could just spend the entire afternoon with Jenny and Jake. "I know how you feel."

"What do you have planned for the weekend?"

"Since the guys are going to Charlotte, Brooke decided to have a girls only weekend at Peyton's."

"That sounds fun." Haley nodded, remembering the last time they'd had a sleepover.

"Yeah, except the last time we had a sleepover, we had this huge fight. It ended well, but still, it wasn't a great experience for a first sleepover."

"It'll be better this time." Haley smiled and grabbed an ordering pad as she walked over to a couple that had just come in.

She had just taken the order back to the counter when Brooke came in with Jenny. "Mommy!" Haley smiled and swung the fourteen-month-old into her arms.

"Hi, pretty girl." Brooke smiled, Haley couldn't love that little girl more if she was her biological mother.

"I know you're working but she really wanted to see her mommy." Haley's smile brightened as she kissed the top of Jenny's head.

"I missed her too." Karen came back with the order and Haley handed Jenny back to Brooke. She had just picked up a tray which contained two very hot cups of coffee and turned around when the door opened and Sam and Dean walked in.

Haley's eyes widened in surprise as the tray slipped from her hands and crashed onto the floor. As a result, coffee splashed onto her uncovered arm and one of the cups broke when it hit the side of the tray. It sliced across Haley's arm and left a large cut before falling to the floor and shattering. She cried out and brought her left hand up to cover her right arm as tears filled her eyes.

Jenny, upset by the loud crash and the fact that her mommy was crying, burst into tears. Brooke handed the little girl to Karen and quickly moved over to her best friend. "Haley, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just need to clean and wrap the wound." Sam stepped toward her and Haley's head jerked up, her brown eyes glittering dangerously.

"Stay. Away. From. Me." Sam stopped, still several feet away from Haley. He'd never heard her that angry. Brooke glared at them before guiding Haley into the kitchen. Jenny whimpered and pointed to the kitchen door as it swung shut.

"Mommy." Karen stroked her hair and swayed gently from side to side.

"Mommy's okay. She'll be okay, baby girl." As she spoke to Jenny, her eyes stayed on Dean and Sam, wondering who they were and why Haley had gotten so upset when she saw them. She was about to go see if they needed help when they came back out.

Haley refused to look at her brothers and focused all of her attention on Jenny as she took the little girl from Karen. "Mommy." Haley smiled and kissed the top of the little girl's head.

"Mommy's okay, pretty girl." Haley looked up at Karen but the older woman seemed to read her mind.

"Take the rest of the day off. Start your party early." Haley smiled and hugged her.

"Thanks, Karen."

"You're welcome, sweetie."

Haley sat on the counter at Peyton's house, staring out the window as she moved the spoon absently around the bowl. She couldn't believe that her brothers had actually shown up in Tree Hill after not bothering to come and see her once over the last four years.

She didn't even know why they were here. They hadn't called and she hadn't heard from John in two weeks. When they entered the café, Haley had felt shock and then anger. She had been shocked that they actually remembered where she lived and angry that they hadn't been to Tree Hill once in four years, not even when their dad had disappeared.

"Haley." Peyton's voice pulled her from her thoughts and she turned her head to look at one of her best friends. "Haley, are you okay?" Haley nodded but Peyton didn't believe her.

"I'm fine, Pey." Haley didn't believe her words and she didn't expect anyone else to but it hurt to talk about her brothers.

"Okay, Haley, you have to tell us who those guys were," Brooke pushed gently. Haley's eyes filled with tears and she once again looked out the window. She saw Liana join Brooke and Peyton in front of her and she knew she had to tell them.

"Haley, we're your best friends. You can tell us anything," Liana said.

"They're my brothers." In the silence that followed the quiet statement, Haley picked several chocolate chips out of the batter. Peyton was the first to speak.

"I didn't know you had your brothers. I mean, we met your dad but you never mentioned having brothers." Haley nodded and looked back at her friends.

"I was angry at them. They never came to visit, not even when Dad disappeared. The only contact we've had over the last four years is phone calls and e-mails and then today they just show up." Brooke placed a comforting hand on Haley's leg.

"I hate to say this, but planes go both ways." Haley shook her head.

"You guys know what they do. There was no way I could have visited. Even when Sam was at Stanford, I didn't have the money to buy a ticket and when he didn't come with Dad the first time, I felt like I didn't have to go to California to see him. It's stupid and selfish I know, but it felt right."

"It's not stupid or selfish. They hurt you," Brooke said. Haley smiled, she should have known that her friends would understand.

"Look, I know you guys are just trying to help but I can't talk about this. It hurts too much."

"How's your arm?" Liana asked. Haley looked at her right arm then back at her friends.

"It's okay, a little sore. I'll be fine."

"So, what do you want to do?" Peyton asked.

"Honestly? I just want to have fun and forget about my brothers for the next three days."

"That's my girl. Where do we start?" Brooke asked.

"Manicures?"

"I'll go get the stuff. You three put the first batch of cookies in the oven," Peyton said. Haley popped the chocolate chips she had stolen earlier into her mouth then slid to the floor and pulled a pan out of one of the cabinets.

Dean slammed the door to the motel room that he and Sam were staying in and sat down on one of the beds. "Dean, calm down." Dean looked up at his little brother and Sam was shocked to see tears in Dean's eyes. "Dean."

"We don't know her anymore, Sammy." Sam nodded and didn't correct Dean's use of the nickname he hated.

"Yes, we do. We haven't seen her but we've kept in touch."

"She didn't tell us anything. We didn't know she had a daughter, we didn't know she was blonde, we don't know anything about her." Dean shook his head, hating himself for not keeping up with his baby sister's life. "Why would she lie to us?"

"She was angry with us. We never visited. She probably thought that we didn't care so she told us she was fine and asked how we were."

"She could have come to see us, Sam." Sam shook his head, sometimes his brother really didn't think.

"There was no way she could have seen you and Dad. You were never in the same place for more than a few days and I'm guessing that after I didn't come with Dad she felt like she didn't have to fly to California."

"Why didn't Dad tell us? Sammy, she has a life, she went on tour, she's working on an album."

"Look, Dean, we just have to give her some time."

"We don't have time. Dad sent us here for a reason."

"Fine, go find her and talk to her but you're just going to push her farther away. You know how Haley is."

"I do know. I just don't want to lose her."

"You will if you push her. Haley's just as stubborn as you are and you'll both say things that you don't really mean." Dean nodded, he wanted to talk to Haley but he knew that Sam was right. He and Haley had always been the closest of the three siblings and when they fought, they always said things they knew would hurt the other one.

Sam used to swear that Haley and Dean had been lovers in a past life. Dean would roll his eyes and Haley would laugh. "Okay, you're right. So, what do we do now?"

"Find a place to eat."

"I'm guessing Karen's Café is out," Dean said. Sam nodded and grabbed his wallet off the dresser.

"I saw a pizza place a few blocks away. We can eat there."

"What was your mom like?" Liana asked. Haley looked up, surprised by the question.

"I don't know. She died when I was in six-months-old. Dad and Dean told me about her and I've seen pictures of her but it's not the same." The three girls nodded and Peyton was the next to speak.

"How did she die?" Haley looked down, dipping her finger into the glass of champagne she held. Although she had made sure that their weekend would be alcohol free earlier in the day, after the run-in with her brothers, she had needed something alcoholic. Peyton and Haley had gone to the store and returned with three bottles of champagne.

"She died in my nursery. A demon pinned her to the ceiling and set her on fire."

"Oh, my God. That's horrible," Brooke said.

"Yeah, after that, my dad was determined to find what had killed her. He dragged the three of us around the country and we would stay in crappy motel rooms while he hunted demons. When Dean got older he would help but Sam and I didn't want that life. Well, Sam didn't until the same thing killed Jess."

"When did your dad disappear?" Liana asked.

"Right before Jess died. Now Sam and Dad are gunning for revenge. Dean and I are the only ones that are thinking clearly. I mean, we both miss Mom but we're not willing to risk everything to kill this damn demon."

"Wow, I don't know which family is worse. The Scott's or the Winchester's." As soon as the words left her mouth, Brooke regretted them. She really had to work on thinking before she spoke. "Oh, God. Haley, I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it." Brooke looked closely at her friend, making sure that she was really okay. When Haley was hurt, she shut down faster than any other person Brooke had ever met.

"Brooke, I'm fine. I promise. Can we talk about something else, please?" She took her finger out of her glass and licked the champagne from it. It hurt to talk about this and while it felt nice to share it with someone, there was only so much she could take and she had reached her limit.

"What do you guys want to do for spring break?" Peyton asked. Haley smiled at her friend in appreciation. It was still several months away but it was a welcome change of topic and Haley couldn't have been more grateful.

"We could go to Savannah," Liana suggested.

"Savannah?" Peyton questioned. Brooke nodded, seeing where her twin was going.

"Yeah, it's not crowded, it has a beach, and it has great shopping places."

"You're deciding where we spend spring break based on how great the shopping is?" Haley asked.

"Shopping is very important, Haley," Brooke said. Haley laughed and for the moment, things were light and easy again. She knew they wouldn't stay that way, but right now she was just a normal girl.

She hadn't spent her whole life moving around the country, staying in crappy motel rooms, being raised by her brothers, completing elementary school and junior high by mail, none of that had happened. Right now, she was Haley Winchester, normal girl, and she was happy with that.

"Haley Winchester, are you laughing at me?"

"Yes." At that point, her laughter became contagious and Peyton joined in. Brooke shared a look with her twin sister and soon the four girls were engaged in an all out pillow fight.

The next morning Haley and Jenny were in the kitchen. Jenny sat in her high chair eating the sliced strawberries that Haley had put on the tray along with a sippy cup of milk and Haley was making breakfast. She smiled as she listened to Jenny talk. She wasn't saying actual words and she wasn't talking to Haley, but Haley loved listening to the little girl.

Peyton smiled as she came into the kitchen with Ella. "Does she do that a lot?"

"Yeah, I don't know what she's saying, but I love listening to her. Sometimes I wish I still had that innocence." Peyton looked at her friend curiously. There was a darker undertone in Haley's voice and she didn't understand it.

"What do you mean?" Haley sighed as she flipped the pancakes that were in the pan.

"I've seen a lot of things, Pey. Most of them are things that no one my age should ever have to see. I know that my dad was just trying to do the right thing and stop the demon that killed my mom but a six-year-old should not have to sleep with .45 under her pillow because she heard a monster under her bed."

"Wow, wasn't that a little dangerous?" Haley smiled and after she poured more batter into the pan, turned to face Peyton.

"Yes and no. It was dangerous because I could have accidently shot Sam or Dean or my dad if they walked in and I didn't know who they were but at the same time, I already knew how to use a gun. All three of us know how to use any weapon we can find, we're all trained to take care of any injuries we get outside of the hospital, and we know how to fight." Peyton's eyes widened in surprise.

"Haley, what kind of childhood did you have?" Haley laughed, the question should have hurt but it didn't.

"I had a good one. Sometimes it was normal, most of the time it wasn't. Dad knew what was out there and he wanted us to be able to take care of ourselves. When I was four I learned how to use a crossbow, when I was five I learned about salt rings, when I was six my dad gave me my first gun. Every year it was something new. By the time I was six and a half and I could assemble and disassemble any kind of gun in seven seconds. When I was ten it was down to five seconds. When I was eleven it was down to three and a half. I've done more research than I can remember, I've been kidnapped by demons more times than I count. It goes on and on."

"Sounds like you had to grow up fast." Haley nodded and looked at Jenny, a sad smile on her face.

"I did. While other kids were playing on playgrounds and learning normal skills I was researching demons and practicing target shots. I don't want Jenny to grow up like that." Peyton covered Haley's hand with her own.

"She won't. You know, I think I just figured out why we're all so close."

"Why's that?"

"Think about it, none of us have normal lives. I mean, you spent yours chasing some demon around the country, I lost my mom and had to grow up way too fast and then I was raped, Jake has a baby, Brooke and Liana basically raised themselves, Nathan and Lucas have great moms but their dad is the supreme heartless jackass, and Cayla escaped from an abusive father and earned the money to put herself through four years of college." Haley smiled at the mention of Cayla Hart-Scott. The last person in their group was currently in California, visiting her grandparents, and would be back in four days.

"We are kind of screwed up, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but we survived and came out stronger."

"Have you heard from Cayla lately?"

"Yeah, she called yesterday. She said she's having a great time and that she can't wait to get back to Tree Hill."

"Sometimes I think Cayla's the strongest out of all of us." Peyton looked at Haley skeptically.

"I've seen what you can do, Haley. I think you're the strongest one in our little circle of friends." Haley laughed.

"I don't mean physically. I mean, we've all had rough lives but Cayla's supported herself most of her life. The rest of us had friends and family to rely on, Cayla had no one until she moved in with Keith and he adopted her." Peyton nodded, agreeing with Haley.

"She should get some kind of award." Jenny let out a high-pitched squeal and the two girls burst into laughter, forgetting about their previous conversation.

"Do you ever wonder what she's saying?" Peyton asked.

"All the time. It's like she's speaking her own language. If I didn't know it was normal I'd think she was possessed by something." Peyton laughed as she placed Ella in the bassinet she had in the kitchen.

"Haley, that's horrible."

"I'm sorry but listen to that and tell me that if you had grown up the way I had that you wouldn't think the same thing." Peyton listened and after a few moments, she had to agree with Haley.

"Okay, I see where you're coming from but I think it's cute."

"It is cute."

"What smells good?" Brooke asked as she and Liana came into the kitchen.

"Pancakes, eggs, toast, and fresh strawberries."

"Maybe we should have you move in," Liana said. Haley laughed as she moved out of the way so they could fill their plates.

"Then Jake and Jenny would miss me." She looked over at Jenny as she poured a cup of coffee and smiled. The little girl was still playing with her strawberries and speaking in a way only she could understand. Jenny looked up and smiled at Haley before looking back down again.

"What were you two talking about?" Brooke asked as the four of them sat down at the kitchen table. Haley and Peyton shared a smile.

"Spring break. Savannah is a great idea," Haley answered. Brooke squealed happily and clapped her hands, causing Haley, Peyton, and Liana to laugh.

"Brooke, how old are you?" Peyton asked, laughter in her voice. Brooke stuck her tongue out.

"You can't tell me you're not shocked that Haley agreed to this so quickly."

"Yes, I am but I'm not going to act like a little kid," Peyton teased.

"Liana, help." Liana shook her head, deserting her twin to side with Peyton and Haley.

"I have to agree with Peyton and Haley."

"You know we love you, Brooke," Haley said.

"I know." Haley laughed as they began eating. Sometimes she couldn't believe how lucky she was to have friends like this.

Sunday morning, Sam and Dean were watching tv when there was a knock on the door. Dean got up to answer it and was surprised to see Haley. "Haley."

She brushed past him without a word and stopped in front of the television. "I've been here four years and I haven't seen either of you once, not even when Dad disappeared. Now, you're here and you're watching me at school and you're showing up at the place where I work. What the hell is going on?"

"Dad called," Sam answered. Haley laughed sharply, she should have known that was the only thing that would bring her brothers to Tree Hill.

"Let me guess. He wants to me to go with you on this never ending road trip. Forget it, I'm not leaving Tree Hill."

"Haley, he told us we need your help," Dean said.

"No, forget it. You're on your own."

"Haley, will you..." She shook her head, cutting Sam off.

"No. I'm not leaving Tree Hill. These people are my family. I've finally got a normal life and I'm not giving it up."

"Haley, you know that Dad wouldn't ask unless it was important," Dean said.

"No, I don't care. I'm not like either one of you. I'm not driven by revenge and I'm not taking orders. Thanks for coming but I'm not interested."

"You're the one who left, this is the least you can do."

"I didn't leave. Dad made me come here. I was happy to stay with you and Sam. Yes, I have a life here but for a long time, I was angry at Dad for making me come here." Sam stepped toward her but she backed away. "Just because I forgave Dad doesn't mean I've forgiven either of you."

"Look, we're sorry we didn't come. There's no excuse, we just didn't," Dean said.

"You expect me to forgive that? Dean, you promised you would always be there for me and you weren't. That hurt, Dean. I needed my big brothers and neither one of them was there."

"Haley, I'm sorry." He moved toward her and placed his hand on her arm but she slapped it away.

"Stop apologizing." Sam could sense the anger radiating off of her in waves and he wondered when his sister had started hating them. When she spoke again, her voice was softer.

"I don't hate you. I just-I needed my brothers and neither one of them was there. I felt like I was abandoned and I hated that feeling." Dean pulled Haley to him and wrapped his arms around her.

"We didn't abandon you, Haley."

"Then why didn't you ever come see me?" She stayed in Dean's arms, feeling completely safe for the first time in four years.

"I got caught up in school and Jess and when you didn't say anything about not seeing me I thought you were fine. I'm sorry," Sam apologized. Haley sighed and reached out, pulling Sam into the hug.

"It's okay. I'm sorry I was such a bitch." Dean smiled, glad that they had gotten everything cleared up.

"You're forgiven. So, tell us more about your Tree Hill family." Haley smiled as she pulled away from her brothers and sat down on one of the beds.

"They're great. They know what we do and they're not freaked out by it. We spend a lot of time together."

"I know we don't know a lot about your life here but Dad would have told us if you were pregnant and it was never mentioned," Sam said. It took Haley several seconds to realize that Jenny had called her Mommy at the café the day Sam and Dean had been there.

"It's a complicated story. Jenny is my adopted daughter. My boyfriend, Jake, is her father. Jenny's mom left when she was three-months-old. When she came back, Jake filed for full custody of Jenny and got it. Three months later, I adopted her. When I came back from my tour, I rented an apartment and Jake and Jenny moved in."

"Dad was okay with that?" Haley smiled, she'd been worried about that too but John had surprised her by welcoming Jake and Jenny into the family.

"Yeah, he was."

"Are you..." Dean trailed off and Sam smacked his brother on the back of the head.

"Ow, what the hell was that for, Sammy?"

"It's Sam and that part of Haley's life is none of our business." Haley laughed, she'd hadn't realized how much she'd missed this until now. It was nice to just sit and talk and tease each other.

"Sam's right, but no, we're not."

"So, when do we get to meet everyone?" Sam asked.

"The guys should be back in a couple of hours. They've been in Charlotte all weekend. We'll probably go to the river court."

"River court?" Sam questioned. Haley rolled her eyes.

"You know, for someone who went to college, you aren't very bright sometimes."

"It's a basketball court by the river," Dean explained.

"Okay, I have to go. I left Jenny with Brooke and she's probably already corrupted her. Can I trust you to not get kicked out of the motel?" Haley asked, looking at Dean.

"Very funny, smart girl." Haley laughed as she stood up.

"Says the guy who got us kicked out of that motel in Colorado because he was too loud." Dean threw his pillow at Haley and she caught it, smiling as she threw it back at him.

"Hey, Haley?" Sam stopped Haley just as she was about to open the door. She turned around to face him.

"Yeah?"

"Earlier I was thinking that you hated us and then you said you didn't hate us. Did you know what I was thinking?"

"I think that was more of a brother-sister connection thing." Dean was the one to notice the shadow enter Haley's brown eyes. Maybe it was because of how connected they were or maybe it was because she was looking straight at him. It didn't matter. All that mattered to Dean was that it was there and he didn't like it.

"Haley?"

"I had these dreams a few months ago. I saw Jess die. I told Dad and he told me not to say anything to Sam because it wasn't real. I didn't say anything and then she died and I felt horrible. I almost went to Stanford but I didn't. I couldn't." By the time she finished, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Sam pulled her to him, stroking her hair in an effort to calm her down. "Stop torturing yourself. You couldn't have known it would really happen."

"I still should have called you. It's my fault. I saw it and I could have stopped it." Sam stepped back and grabbed her arms roughly.

"Haley Grace Winchester, it is not your fault that Jess died. I don't blame you and I don't hate you. The only thing I hate is seeing you like this." She nodded and wiped away the last of her tears.

"I'm sorry. I just-I should have said something." Sam smiled and pulled her back to him, allowing her to rest against his chest.

"Have you seen anything else?" Dean asked. His voice was gentle and soft, unusual qualitites for him. She shook her head, blinking to stay awake. The last hour had completely drained her and all she wanted was to sleep before she had to go to the river court.

"No, just normal dreams," she answered quietly.

Two hours later, Haley, Sam, and Dean pulled up at the river court. As soon as Haley stepped onto the asphalt, Jenny ran toward her. "Mommy!" Haley smiled and picked the little girl up, kissing the top of her head.

"Hi, baby girl."

"Mommy, see Daddy." Haley smiled as Jake walked over to them.

"Yeah, I do see Daddy." Jake wrapped an arm around her waist and she melted into him. It was crazy that she missed him so much and he'd only been gone two and a half days. It made her wonder how she'd survived five months without him last year.

"I missed you," he said, lowering his lips to hers. Haley responded but pulled away just as quickly remembering that her brothers were about ten feet away.

"Later," she whispered before turning to face their friends. "Guys, come here. I want you to meet two people that are very important to me."

"Hey, what's up, Hales?" Lucas asked. Haley smiled as she motioned for her brothers to come closer.

"Guys, these are my brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester. Sam, Dean, these are my friends. My family. Lucas and Nathan Scott, Brooke and Liana Davis, Jake and Jenny Jagielski and Peyton and Ella Sawyer. There's another girl, Cayla Hart-Scott but she's in California right now." After the greetings were finished, Dean was the first to speak.

"What about the adults you were telling us about?" Haley smiled as she thought about the three people that played the parents to their group.

"Karen and Deb own the café and Tric and Keith owns an auto repair shop. We'll introduce you to them later."

"What happened to you earlier? I thought you were coming back to Peyton's," Brooke said.

"I was but we kind of lost track of time. Was Jenny okay?"

"She was great. Brooke didn't brainwash her into think that shopping is the most important thing in the world but she is on her way to be a cheerleader just like her mom," Peyton said. Haley groaned playfully.

"You're a cheerleader?" Dean questioned.

"Yes, I am. I was tricked and it's only because Brooke hates Rachel. And before you ask, all the girls in our group are cheerleaders."

"Do you guys wanna play?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, sure," Dean answered. Haley smiled as the guys spread out on the court and the girls took their usual places on the picnic table.

"Pey, can you watch Jenny tomorrow?" When Peyton didn't answer, Haley followed her best friend's gaze and groaned. "That's a first." That caught Peyton's attention.

"What's a first?"

"A girl not being able to take their eyes off of Sam. Dean's usually the girl magnet."

"How old is Sam?" Peyton asked.

"Twenty-two. Dean is twenty-six."

"I think they're both sexy," Brooke said.

"Okay two things. You have a boyfriend named Lucas and those are my brothers. I really don't need to hear how sexy they are," Haley said.

"Sorry, Hales and I'm happy with Lucas but how can you not notice it?"

"I'm their sister," Haley reiterated. She turned her attention back to Peyton. "So, can you watch Jenny after practice? Jake and I both have to work."

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks, Pey. You're the best." Peyton smiled and put an arm around Haley's shoulder.

"That's what best friends are for. Hoes over bros." Haley laughed and realized that things were good and she liked them that way. Her whole family was here and that was all she needed to be happy. It would be nice to live in Kansas with both of her parents and have the life she'd always dreamed of but then she would be missing out on this family. Now that she had it, she knew she could never give it up. In a way, this was what she'd been craving since she was a little girl and she'd noticed children playing on the playground with a mom and a dad.

"Yeah, hoes over bros."

"So, I think we should try to set Peyton and Sam up." Haley groaned playfully and shoved Brooke.

"Matchmaking later, right now we can talk about all the places we're going to go shopping in Savannah." Right now, things were normal and that was all that Haley needed. It was enough for her to ignore the feeling she had that something bad was coming and that it was after her. She pushed the thought out of her head as she listened to Brooke map out their shopping plan.


	3. Frayed At the Ends

Disclaimer: I own Cayla, Liana, and Ella. All other characters are property of Mark Schwahn and Eric Kripke.

Author's Note: I'm starting college in a couple of weeks so if updates kind of slow down for a while, you know why.

Ties That Bind: Chapter Three

Haley sat up and bit her lip to keep from screaming. She looked over at Jake and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was still asleep. He knew what her family did but there was no way she could explain to him that she'd just seen Jenny and Peyton die. She quietly slipped out of bed and made her way down the hall to Jenny's room.

When she saw the patch of blonde hair just above the little girl's favorite blanket, tears of relief coursed down her cheeks. From there, she moved into the living room where she opened the sliding glass doors and stepped out onto the balcony that overlooked the streets of Tree Hill. The cold, January air was a sharp contrast to the warm apartment but Haley barely noticed it.

She shut the door and slid to the cold cement, her back pressed against the rough brick wall. Thousands of thoughts raced through her mind but only one stood out. She couldn't lose two of the people she loved. Haley silently cursed herself for ignoring the feeling she'd had for the past three weeks. This was the first nightmare she'd had but the feeling, the one you got when you saw a car wreck or you watched something like a school shooting on the news, that feeling had been with her for three weeks and she'd been stupid enough to ignore it.

She should have called Sam and Dean as soon as it started. Instead, she'd been selfish and ignored it, wanting to hold on to normal as long as she could. As a result of her selfishness, she was sitting outside at two in the morning, crying, as the cold wrapped itself around her. She hated this. She hated that her life here was starting to fray at the edges.

Haley knew that if she stayed, everything would unravel and she wouldn't have anything left. Peyton and Jenny would die and it would be her fault and she couldn't live with that knowledge. As much as it hurt, she knew she had to leave Tree Hill. The pain of losing Peyton and Jenny and knowing that she could have prevented it would be far worse the pain of leaving the family that she had built here.

She looked up at the clear, early morning sky and wondered why nothing was ever simple. In the last four years, she'd only hunted one demon and that was it. Now something bigger was coming and at the worst possible time. Graduation was in May, she planned to release her first album that summer and do a promotional tour, and then in the fall she and Jake would attend Princeton.

Now, Haley didn't know if she would get any of that. Living here, away from everything that she'd grown up with, it had been easy to forget she had ever lived like that until three weeks ago. It had started out as nothing, like someone was watching her and it had escalated.

Hot tears slid down her numb cheeks but Haley barely noticed them. Sam and Dean had only been here for three days, but already the feeling was stronger. It was dangerous for all three of them to stay here. She would call her brothers later and tell them what was going on and they figure out where to go next.

"Haley. Haley, wake up." Haley opened her eyes, blinking when she saw Jake in front of her.

"Jake?" He smiled and brushed across her cheek. She turned into his touch and bit her lip. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" She wanted to tell him the truth but she couldn't. She couldn't do that to him. It was hard enough that she had to leave him but she couldn't tell him what she'd seen.

"I couldn't sleep. I came out here to read and I guess I fell asleep." Jake smiled and leaned forward, kissing her cheek.

"Come on. You have to get ready for school." She smiled as she sat up and blocked out everything she'd thought about last night.

"How's Jenny?"

"She's fine. She's in her room. Go get ready while I make breakfast." Haley smiled and brushed her lips over his before standing up and heading toward the bathroom. She got halfway down the hall before she turned around.

"Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"You know I love you, right? You know I would do anything for you and Jenny?" Jake stood up, concern entering his eyes.

"Haley, is there something you're not telling me? Did something happen?" She shook her head, tears filling her eyes.

"No. It's nothing. I'm just being stupid." Jake reached out and placed his hand on her cheek.

"Hey, hey, hey. You are not stupid. You are one of the smartest people I've ever known."

"No, I'm not. If I was smart, I would have seen this coming."

"Seen what? Haley, I'm trying to understand what you're talking about but I can't. It doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't make sense to me either." She reached up and kissed him, wanting him to know how much she loved him. Jake responded and she wrapped her arms around his neck. When she pulled at the bottom of his shirt, he pulled away.

"Haley, are you sure?" She nodded and Jake smiled. She laced her fingers through his and they made their way down the hall, laughing and kissing. After checking to make sure that Jenny was okay, they stumbled into their room and shut the door.

Haley smiled as she traced random shapes on Jake's chest with her fingers. For the first time in three weeks, she was completely happy. She knew the feeling wouldn't last long but she was going to enjoy it as long as she could. "Mmm, that was . . . " Haley trailed off and Jake smiled.

"Yeah, it was. Haley, I'm not complaining, but I thought you wanted to wait."

"I did but I don't know. It just seemed right and I wanted to go with it. I don't regret it if that's what you're asking." Jake shook his head, stroking her hair. Before they'd made love, Haley had been close to hysterics and now she seemed fine. As much as he wanted to ask her what she had been talking about, he didn't want to ruin the peace that she seemed to have found.

"That's not what I was asking. I just want you to be happy." She smiled and kissed his chest.

"I am happy. I'm happy with you." She sighed in contentment and closed her eyes, basking in the warmth that surrounded her. "We're late for school." He laughed as he kissed the top of her head.

"That's what you're thinking of?" She smiled against his chest.

"I wasn't and then it just popped into my head." Jake knew she was trying to steer the conversation away from her and he knew that he shouldn't let her get away with it but he didn't want to ruin her good mood. It was selfish he knew, but he couldn't help it. If that wasn't enough, the way Haley reacted earlier told him that whatever was going on hurt her and seeing Haley hurt made him hurt.

"What do you want to do?" She groaned playfully and shook her head.

"We should go. As much as I don't want to get out of bed, I think we should go to school."

"Alright, so we should shower and get dressed then take Jenny to daycare."

"Separate showers or we'll never leave."

"There's nothing wrong with that." Haley laughed as she reluctantly sat up.

"There wouldn't be anything wrong with that if it was the weekend. It's Monday and we have school. You go first and I'll get Jenny ready." He nodded and just before she was completely out of bed, he pulled her back and kissed her. When his hands slipped the shirt she was wearing, she pulled away.

"Haley." She smiled and brushed her lips over his.

"We have to go. Shower, go." He groaned playfully as he got of bed. She smiled as she watched him go then put on a pair of sweat pants and walked across the hall to Jenny's room.

"Where were you and Jake this morning?" Brooke asked as Haley joined her, Liana, and Peyton in the courtyard during their free period. Haley smiled, the feeling that something evil was coming was still gone.

"That's between me and Jake." Peyton caught Haley's smile and immediately figured it out.

"You and Jake had sex." A light blush colored Haley's cheeks and anything else they could have talked about was instantly forgotten.

"I thought you wanted to wait," Brooke said. Brooke had never understood how Haley could wait until she was married to have sex. Brooke wasn't a slut but she definitely wasn't a virgin, Peyton had lost her virginity to Nathan two years ago, and Liana had slept with Nathan. Cayla was the only one left that hadn't had sex.

"I did, but we were getting ready for school and I kissed him and it just sort of . . . happened." She didn't tell them that she had been crying, trying to figure out what to do about the nightmare she'd had. They didn't need to know about that, not yet. If she had her way, they would never find out, but she knew that wouldn't be fair. She had to give them some explanation for why she was leaving. Right now, however, that wasn't a problem.

"How was it?" Brooke asked. Haley once again blushed but smiled at the same time. It felt so nice to have girlfriends that she could talk about this with. If she'd been with her brothers on their road trip, Dean would have threatened to kill the guy and Sam would have felt uncomfortable talking about something like that with his baby sister.

"It was good. He was really sweet and he didn't rush anything."

"So, should we expect a wedding anytime soon?" Liana asked.

"No, no wedding. At least not right now. We're too young."

"So, does that mean you plan on getting married?" Peyton asked. Haley wished that she could give a definite answer but she knew that she couldn't because then she would be lying. She knew that she had to leave with Sam and Dean and that meant that nothing was definite anymore. Still, she didn't want to tell anyone yet so she smiled and pretended that everything was normal. It wasn't that hard to do because right now, everything felt like it was normal.

"In a couple of years, maybe. When Jenny's a little older and we've gotten used to being at college. It's not definite, it's just a plan." Brooke nodded, thinking about her relationship with Lucas.

"Plans are nice. They give you something to go by even if you don't follow them." Liana looked at her twin sister in surprise.

"Since when are you one to follow a plan Ms. Spontaneity?"

"Since I fell in love with Lucas." Haley laughed as she listened to Brooke and Liana tease each other.

Peyton frowned as she watched Haley laugh at Brooke and Liana. Haley seemed to be genuinely happy but she noticed the pain in Haley's eyes. She knew she'd been the only to notice it but she wanted to know why it was there. "Haley, are you okay?"

Haley looked at her best friend and suddenly the pain in her brown eyes was gone, replaced by happiness. "Yeah, I'm fine." Peyton looked at her doubtfully but didn't push the subject. She knew if she did that Haley would shut down completely and withdraw from everyone. She'd seen it before and it had taken them weeks to get her to open up again.

"Haley." Haley shook her head, trying to hold on to the lightness that she had found.

"Pey, please don't push. I'll talk later." Peyton nodded and brought up the research project they had been assigned in history that day.

Haley stood at the kitchen counter, absently dicing tomatoes when Jake came in. "Hey, something smells good." She offered a small smile and turned back to the counter.

"Spaghetti. It's easy and quick and it doesn't require a lot of clean-up." She'd been fine all day at school and even during practice. When she'd gotten home, Jenny had been cranky so they'd laid down and taken a nap. During that nap, Haley had had another nightmare.

"Hey, are you okay?" She nodded, flinching when he placed a comforting hand on her arm. She instantly regretted the action but there was nothing she could do about it now.

"I'm fine." Jake sighed as he watched Haley pull away from him, physically and emotionally.

"No, you're not, Haley. I find you on the couch this morning and when I asked what was wrong you were so close to hysterics that I didn't what to do and then you started saying things that didn't make any sense. Haley, you're scaring me. I've never seen you like this. Tell me what's going on." Haley sighed and put the knife down as she turned to face Jake.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong."

"Haley, you can't keep lying to me. I know something's not right and I can see that it's hurting you. Will you please let me in?"

"God, will you stop pushing? If I wanted you to know I would tell you."

"What is wrong with you? You never act like this." Haley knew that Jake was right, but she couldn't make herself tell him, not yet. She knew it would hurt him and she wasn't ready for that.

"I'm going out. You can finish dinner." She angrily brushed past him and grabbed her purse before slamming the door to the apartment. As soon as the door slammed, Jenny burst into tears. Jake picked his daughter up and gently rubbed her back.

"It's okay, Jenny. Mommy didn't mean to scare you." Jenny pointed toward the door, still crying.

"Mommy." Jake sighed and kissed the top of her head.

"She'll be back." He hoped he wasn't lying. He'd never seen Haley act like that and he didn't know if she would be back. It was clear that something wasn't right, he just didn't know why Haley didn't trust him enough to tell him. "Okay, let's go finish dinner and then we'll eat and watch a movie." Jenny nodded and laid her head on Jake's shoulder as he walked back to the kitchen.

Peyton was feeding Ella when the doorbell rang. She put Ella's bottle on the kitchen table and went to open the door. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Haley standing there with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Haley." Haley offered a small smile.

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure. Come on." Haley moved into the house and shut the door behind her as Peyton put Ella in her car seat.

"I'm sorry for just showing up like this but I didn't know where else to go." Peyton nodded as she sat down beside Haley.

"Haley, what happened?" Haley shook her head, she couldn't make herself say it. It hurt too much just to think about it. "I want to help but I don't know what to do. You have to talk to me. Tell me what's going on." Peyton's gentle voice made Haley feel even worse and a sob escaped her.

"I don't know what to do. Everything is so messed up and I don't know how to make it right again." It didn't make sense, she knew, but she was barely holding herself together right now. She saw the look of confusion in Peyton's eyes and knew she had to at least try to explain part of what she'd just said. "Pey, I . . . " Haley's voice gave out and she gave into the sobs she'd been holding back since her fight with Jake.

Peyton wasn't sure what to do. She'd never seen Haley like this before and it definitely scared her. She wrapped her arms around her best friend and stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. When she still hadn't calmed down after several minutes, Peyton reached into Haley's purse and grabbed her cell phone.

She scrolled through the contacts list until she came to Sam's name then hit the call button. It would have made more sense to call Dean since he was first but she remembered Haley telling her that Dean rarely kept his phone on and she didn't want to take any chances right now. Haley needed to talk to someone and Peyton knew that her brothers were probably the only ones that could get her to open up. The phone rang twice and then someone answered and Peyton breathed a sigh of relief. "Haley?"

"It's Peyton. Haley's at my house and I think you should get over as soon as you can."

"What's wrong?" Peyton silently cursed herself, she should have explained that first instead of freaking Sam out by telling him that he needed to get to her house as fast as he could.

"I don't know. She just showed up crying and then she started talking about things that didn't make any sense. She tried to explain but she couldn't and she's been sobbing for the last ten minutes."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

"Thank you so much, Sam."

"You're welcome. I'll be right there." Peyton smiled as she hung up and once again wrapped both of her arms around Haley. Hopefully Sam could convince Haley to tell them what was going on. It was clear that whatever it was had upset Haley and Peyton didn't like that. She hated seeing any of her friends upset and she knew that Sam wouldn't be happy to see his baby sister like this.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang and before Peyton could respond the door opened and shut. "We're in the living room," she called when she heard him reach the hallway and stop walking. He paused in the doorway and smiled when he saw that Haley had fallen asleep.

"How long has she been like that?"

"About five minutes. I still didn't get anything out of her but I think we should let her sleep. Since you're already here, do you want to stay for a few hours?" Sam looked over at Haley as Peyton stood up slowly so she wouldn't wake her up. He knew that if Haley had cried herself to sleep that something was seriously wrong.

"Are you sure?" Peyton smiled, she barely knew Sam but she felt drawn to him.

"Yeah, we can get to know each other and you can meet my daughter." Sam nodded as followed Peyton into the kitchen.

"I've wanted to ask you about that. Haley explained about Jake and Jenny but when I asked about you she said that she couldn't tell me." Peyton smiled as she picked Ella up and sat down at the kitchen table.

"I was raped. Brooke and I went to a party at Duke sophomore year and I met this guy. He invited me into his room and I was stupid enough to go with him. I was also stupid enough to take the drink he offered me. It had some kind of drug in it and that's all I remember. The next thing I remember is waking up in my room."

"Oh, wow. You're parents were okay with you keeping Ella?" Peyton smiled as she looked down at her daughter. Ella was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

"My mom died when I was nine but yeah, my dad supported my decision."

"How did your mom die?"

"Car accident. She was on her way to pick me up from school. It's not my fault but for a long time I felt guilty because she died coming to get me." She put Ella's empty bottle on the table and lifted her daughter to her shoulder.

Sam watched as Peyton took care of her daughter. She looked completely natural, like she had waited her whole life to have children. "You're staring." It took Sam a minute to realize that Peyton was speaking to him and he smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry. I was watching you with Ella. You're a natural." Peyton laughed as she continued to pat Ella's back, trying to get the infant to burp.

"You should have seen me the first few months. I was a complete mess. Even now I'm not sure of myself sometimes. Haley's the natural. She's always been great with Jenny even before she and Jake started dating."

"How long have they been going out?" Peyton smiled at the typical older brother question. She knew that if Dean was here he'd be asking the same questions.

"Sixteen months." Sam nodded but anything that he was about to say was cut off by Ella crying. "She's still hungry. Can you hold her while I fix her bottle?"

"Yeah, sure." Peyton smiled and placed Ella in his arms.

"Thanks. I'd put her in her car seat but when she's hungry she likes to be held." Sam nodded and looked down at the little girl in his arms, surprised that she trusted him so much. Most of the kids that he and Dean met didn't trust them, then again, most people that he and Dean met didn't trust them.

Peyton watched Sam interact with Ella as she filled a clean bottle with water then put it in the microwave. Ella seemed content to wave her arms and squeal happily as if she were talking to Sam in her own special way. Peyton's mind flashed to Jenny's nonsensical talk and she smiled. The microwave beeped and she took the bottle out.

After adding the formula and mixing it up, she sat back down and handed the bottle to Sam. "I'd do it myself but I don't want to mess with a good thing. I've never seen her so content with someone that she's just met."

"As much as I hate to mess with good things, I'm not really good with kids. Most of the kids we meet wind up scared to death of us." Peyton laughed, that didn't surprise her. What little kid wouldn't be scared of Sam and Dean and what they did?

"I think you're good this time. She seems content where she is and all you have to do is put the bottle in her mouth and burp her every two ounces." Sam looked up and blinked unsurely when Peyton placed the bottle into his free hand.

"It's okay. She won't break. Just trust yourself." He nodded and Peyton's smile widened as he gently placed the bottle in Ella's mouth and held it steady, like he'd done this his whole life.

Haley slowly opened her eyes and blinked them a few times, trying to remember where she was. When she sat up and saw the living room littered with bottles and baby clothes, she remembered fighting with Jake and then showing up here in tears. She barely remembered Peyton calling someone on her cell phone. The sound of laughter and giggling drew her toward the kitchen.

She stood up and made her way to the kitchen, leaning against the door frame and smiling at the sight in front of her. Peyton and Sam sat at the table, talking and sharing little looks and touches. Peyton looked up and smiled when she saw Haley. "Hey, feeling better?" Sam turned to look at his sister.

"Yeah, sorry for scaring you. I just didn't know where else to go."

"It's cool. You know you can always crash here. The only thing that scares me is that what you were saying didn't make much sense." Haley sighed, she couldn't make herself tell Peyton. She couldn't do that to her friend.

"I know and I wish that I could explain it but I can't. Not yet. It's not that I don't trust you because you I know I do. It's just that I don't understand it so I can't explain it."

"Haley, you don't have to explain yourself to me. I get that your life is complicated and that I'm not always going to understand everything that goes on with it." Haley smiled, remembering now why she and Peyton had always gotten along so well. They understood each other. She and her other friends understood each other too, but with Peyton it was different.

It was like they connected more because they'd grown up dealing with one parent and had more or less raised themselves. From the first day she'd been in Tree Hill, she and Peyton had just clicked. Now she lingered in the doorway, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere Sam and Peyton had created.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sam asked. Haley shook her head, subconsciously stepping closer to her big brother, needing to feel the warmth and protection that had always radiated from him.

"No." Sam nodded and pulled her into his lap like he had when they were younger and they were watching or a movie or when she needed comfort. She snuggled into his embrace and blinked, still tired.

"Peyton was telling me about Jenny. She sounds like a great kid." Haley smiled as a warm, sleepy feeling engulfed her.

"She is. You and Dean should come over tomorrow and spend some time with her if Jake doesn't hate me."

"He doesn't, Hales. You know that. He just hates seeing you hurt, just like we all do," Peyton said. Haley nodded, blinking to stay awake.

"I hurt him. All he tried to do was help and I pushed him away." She was still tired. Her emotional outburst earlier had completely drained her but this was different. This was from not sleeping because of the nightmares. Even falling asleep in Jake's arms only provided comfort for a short time and then she was awake, terrified to sleep. Sam stroked her hair, the only thing that really calmed her down.

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay, baby sister," he said. Haley made a soft, contented noise and blinked one more time before slipping into sleep. Peyton smiled at the bond the two of them had. It was obvious that they really loved each other even though they'd been apart for four years.

"You should go. Take her to the motel and let her get some real sleep. She'll sleep better with you and Dean around." Sam looked at Peyton curiously.

"She hasn't told me much but I know that she's been having nightmares. I don't what she sees but I know they scare her." Sam nodded as he stood up carefully.

"I'll talk to her. Thanks for letting me stay." Peyton smiled and kissed his cheek.

"No problem."

Haley sat curled up in one of the chairs at the table in the motel room that Sam and Dean had rented, wearing one of Dean's pullovers. For the first time in three weeks, she hadn't had a nightmare. As soon as she'd gotten up, her brothers had demanded an explanation. "There's really not anything to explain. It's the same nightmare I had about Jess. The only thing that I don't get is why it kills Jenny, it doesn't fit its pattern."

Dean shook his head, silently agreeing with his sister. It didn't fit but it didn't matter. Haley trusted her instincts and that meant that all three of them had to leave Tree Hill as soon as possible. "When do you want to leave?" He hadn't meant for it to sound so harsh and uncaring but it had and he instantly regretted it when he saw the pain in Haley's eyes. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know. We can leave Saturday. I want to be here when Cayla gets back and I need to ease Jenny into it. Start spending more time here. She'll still be confused just not as much, hopefully."

"It'll be okay, Haley," Dean said, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

"How will it be okay? I have to leave my family so they won't be killed. That's not okay. God, I hate this. I hate feeling like this. I hate not being able to do anything."

"We'll find this demon, Haley. We'll find it and kill it," Sam said. Her brown eyes filled with tears and she quickly wiped them away.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." Sam nodded and kissed the top of her head.

"I'll go get breakfast." Haley nodded, playing with a loose thread on her pullover. The bright, morning sun shone through the light, airy curtains but for once, Haley didn't feel the sense of freshness that she usually felt in the mornings. She loved any kind of weather, but sunny and warm with a gentle breeze was her favorite. Today, however, she wished it would rain. It would match her mood a lot better than the bright sun that she suddenly found annoying. Sam left and Dean looked at Haley, noticing that the sparkle that was usually in her eyes was gone. Before he could speak, she looked up, an innocence in her eyes that hadn't been there for years.

"Dean?"

"Yeah?" She hesitated, not sure if she wanted to voice her request. Dean had always been guarded when it came to the topic she wanted to talk about but it was worth a chance. She normally wouldn't have asked but with everything that was going on she needed to hear it.

"Tell me about Mom," she requested softly. Dean looked down, focusing on the beige colored carpet instead of his baby sister. Haley hadn't asked to hear about their mom since their dad had told them that Haley was moving to Tree Hill.

"Haley, I . . . " He stopped when he caught the look in her eyes, their mom's eyes. It was hurt and fear and the need for safety and comfort.

"Please. I need to . . . " Her voice broke, thick with tears, and Dean caved. He nodded and leaned against the headboard of the bed he was sitting on, making himself comfortable. Haley had always been a major weakness for him, he would do anything to protect his baby sister. He felt the same protectiveness toward Sam and their dad but with Haley it was different. Maybe it was because she was the youngest or maybe it was because she and Dean had always been so close. It really didn't matter. "Dean, you don't have to do this."

"No, I want to. I think I need it as much as you." Haley nodded, most times Dean didn't like talking about their mom but obviously everything that was going on now made him want to remember her.

When Sam returned to the motel room thirty minutes later Haley was still sitting in the same position she had been when he'd left but Dean was sitting on one of the beds, leaning against the headboard with his eyes closed. He set the food on the table Haley was sitting at and sat down in the other chair. "Thanks for getting breakfast."

"No problem. Is Dean going to eat?" Haley smiled as she watched her big brother sleep while she opened one of the styrofoam containers.

"Later. He fell asleep while we were talking about Mom." Sam looked up, his eyes wide with surprise.

"You talked about Mom?"

"Yeah, I needed to hear about her and I think he hated seeing me cry so he told me about her." Sam nodded, Dean had always done whatever he could to make Haley happy.

"So, I ran into Jake at the café."

"What did he say?"

"He asked how you were and I told him you were okay. I told him that you weren't mad at him, you were just worried about Dad and that you didn't mean to take it out on him." Haley nodded, glad that Jake didn't hate her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Sam smiled and a comfortable silence fell between them as they ate. About fifteen minutes later, Haley attempted to hide a yawn but Sam saw it. "Go lay down." She shook her head stubbornly.

"No, I need to get home." Sam smiled and reached to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Get some sleep. You've had a rough couple of days." She nodded and stood up, making her way over to the bed where Dean was still asleep. She laid down and snuggled into his embrace, needing the warmth that he provided. Dean shifted in his sleep and wrapped his arms around her.

"Warm," Dean murmured sleepily. Haley smiled and snuggled further into his embrace, suddenly needing to feel safe.

"Love you, big brother," she whispered contentedly as her eyes closed.


End file.
